Confessions of the Caffeinated:

...there is love in this world...

2012-01-06T21:59:00.000-05:00

...you just have to look for it...

...never stop seeking it out...

...any day can be {the day}...

2011-11-18T12:18:00.000-05:00

Fallen leaves litter the ground...crunching satisfactorily underfoot and painting the landscape in muted browns and golds. A season's change...nature running it's course... Nothing in life escapes the inevitable. Love or heartbreak, despair or joy, moments that flit and those that drag on...meanwhile time marches on and seasons change. And one can become so ensnared...so caught in the slow-motion that only the seasons changes signal time is passing.

This blog has lain dormant these many months as my slow-motion storm raged.

I had met my wall...the inevitable moment when it was simply to much.

And that's ok.

It happens to us all.

It's even ok to admit it. To step back. To say, 'I'll be back later'...'maybe'...

And now my maybe is here.

Maybe it's ok to step back in slowly...

Maybe I don't have to approach this as an added {responsibility}...

Maybe I can write something today...without promising to do so again-anytime-ever...

Maybe the only reader that matters is my future-self...

Maybe being a work in progress holds greater value than being a success...

I made a choice recently...to mindfully-steadily work at living a life of action, not reaction.

This is new...this idea that I can wake up one morning and shape the day as I see fit...ignoring the outside...dismissing the rules...

I can stop trying to be that which I was never intended to be.

And I can finally...at long last...close a door I so long refused to see as open...and walk away.

I'm turning my eyes ahead...the rest now lies in shadows...

...there is love in this world...

2011-07-01T10:29:00.000-04:00

...you just have to look for it...

...I'd venture to say my love affair with Flickr has hit a wall. The limit on visible pictures has rendered all my sets other than Mister Man's First Grade slideshow invisible and unreachable. So back to photo-heavy posts for moi!

...spot the difference...

2011-07-01T09:03:00.000-04:00

Do any of you remember those kids magazine features from when we were children....two side by side pictures similiar but not identical, where you had to circle what was different?

Ok, so not side by side...but close enough!

...A year in days: First Grade...

2011-06-30T13:14:00.000-04:00

Days can drag on from start to finish...each minute longer than the last... But add them together in any quantity...week, month, year...and they blow past at dizzying speed...gone before you've ever even breathed them in.

This year has been a puzzle. Undreamable highs and desperate lows and every moment in between. Through it all, we've taken a picture each day...how strange it is now to sit back and watch them flicker by and see few traces at all of the stories each day told...

I'm luckier than all of you...I got to live it.

Enjoy this final installment. First grade has closed the doors...Mister Man has waved goodbye to the school and all inhabitants thereof...

2nd grade beckons from the future fall...and new space in a new place with new people...

...there is love in this world...

2011-06-20T23:05:00.000-04:00

...A year in days: First Grade...

2011-06-20T21:16:00.000-04:00

Yet another long overdue post is making an appearance this evening. Today was the last Monday of the school year...and we made sure to celebrate that fact in style with a super special breakfast and a lunch full of surprise treats! I can't believe the school year is almost over. The final day, or rather 1/2 day, is Friday...and Mister Man is already chomping at the bit.

So here we have it...the second (I hope) to last installment of this particular slideshow. There'll be one more come Friday of course...and then it's curtains for the school year, for first grade, and for our brief sojourn at Central School. Come fall...on to new places and new faces!

We hope you've enjoyed watching the year go by and having a front seat for all the changes major and minor as Mister Man went from 7 to 8! Thanks for watching! :)

...TTP- 163 through 161 days to go...

2011-06-20T07:03:00.001-04:00

Good morning readers! Now don't go getting all excited...I have yet to fix the computer situation, but for now if I simply continuously unplug/replug the mouse it seems I might just be able to get through one post. (And yes, that process is just as annoying as it sounds! I've had to pull the computer desk out and away from the wall for easy access.) So of course, I'm going the easy route and combo-ing it up once again with one mega-post to represent June 17th, 18th and 19th.

Three days worth of thanks makes for quite a long list if you think about. I mean, do...think about it...what would make it to your list of thankfulness from the past three days?

Here's mine...I'm thankful for:

~the invention of air-conditioning!

~bug spray!

~the daily treat Mister Man and I are enjoying as all the berries ripen on our little currant bush

~Mister Man's second soccer trophy!

~the quiet comfort of a long walk hand-in-hand

~Veggie Tales movies on sleepless nights

~those who shopped our table at the flea market

~silly string on the backyard with this crazy kid of mine

~all the year-long compilations gradually making their way home from school

~the promise of a fresh start in the coming fall

~all the 'buddies' who volunteered their Saturday mornings in Topsoccer this spring

~Aldi's budget-friendly grocery prices

~my new self-inflicted mini haircut and the ego boost it brought about

~some belated birthday coupons for COFFEE!

~the ten minutes we spent giving Mister Man's plant monster Fred a haircut

~my old sunglasses finally kicking the bucket so I can justify shopping for a new, affordable (hopefully actually flattering) pair

~our trip to the library just when the grumpies were beginning to get out of control

~the new ways in which Mister Man is learning to help out around the home

~Taco Night!

~a really good reminder of how far we've come...

...out of order...

2011-06-17T20:56:00.001-04:00

Sadly, readers, my computer is still pulling the inaccessible gimmick...so don't expect much by way of posting until I get it back up and running. I'm fairly certain that I just need to fork over the cashola for a new mouse...and honestly, I hope it's that simple. Hopefully I will find both time and opportunity to look into that this weekend. Maybe a wireless mouse is the way to go?

Anyways, hope you are all enjoying a restful and relaxing end to the week! Cross your fingers and wish me luck. I hate being disconnected like this.

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...of mice and men...

2011-06-16T12:38:00.001-04:00

I really truly ought to have known better...after all, vacuums aren't really known for their computer curative properties! I'm not sure if I just need to buy a new mouse or if the problem is more technological (read: expensive)...but either way, I'm down one desktop computer once again.
Grrrrr!
I had several posts just waiting to be written.
Seems they'll be on hold until the computer issues are solved.
Just goes to show you...men (or women!) can make all sorts of plans...only to find themselves undermined by something as small as a mouse!

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...TTP-167 through 164 days to go...

2011-06-16T08:44:00.001-04:00

...and...I'm back...

This morning, after several days with an inoperable computer I finally got down to the nitty gritty. I pulled out the computer desk and settled in on the floor for an hour long session of unplugging and unscrewing...only to attack the innards with a vacuum and hope for the best. A few days ago the mouse began to experience hiccups...skipping the cursor about or freezing up. Cross your fingers and knock on wood...seems to be working now...finally! The amount of dust taking up residence inside my poor computer was absolutely disgusting! Had I but known that a good scrubbing session was all that was needed, I might very well have done so at first mouse-hiccup, and thus avoided this whole long delay.

At any rate, I'm once again in the uncomfortable position of basically owing myself a backlog of TTP posts. Grrrrrr!

Hmmm...where to begin?

~I'm thankful that the headache I've had for three solid days seems to finally be less ouchy this morning.

~I'm thankful for the few currants my currant bush managed to raise up to fruition this year.

~I'm thankful that I had squirreled away a backup bag of espresso roast in the cupboard when I thought I had run out yesterday.

~I'm thankful for all the beautiful end of the year artwork Mister Man came home with yesterday.

~I'm thankful to A., for a wonderfully sentimental and darn-right-pretty belated birthday gift!

~I'm thankful that my savings is finally looking a bit more substantial.

~I'm thankful that the vacuum seems to have cured my computer.

~I'm thankful that I can end this mess of a post now and sneak in a quick nap before work....

***apologies to those of you who actually kept reading all the way to the end.

blame the headache, not the writer!***

...TTP-168 days to go...

2011-06-12T17:31:00.012-04:00

...from June 11...

A moment to be thankful for: watching Mister Man play soccer in the rain with his TOPSoccer team.

A person to be thankful to: Our newish friends 'D' and daughter 'A' for a carefree, no-stress belated birthday night out...fun, food, games, etc...

Something to be thankful for about myself: breaking out of my shy shell and taking the risk of building new friendships.

...TTP-169 days to go...

2011-06-10T22:14:00.000-04:00

Combo-ing up on the TTP and the confessional aspects of Confessions of the Caffeinated, I have an admission to make. This morning...yes, this very one...I did not make breakfast. I did not pull out the mixing bowls. I did not heat up a pan. I did not turn on the oven. Oh no, readers...I did none of the above. Instead, I poured the two of some cereal...turned on the morning cartoons...and chilled with my Mister Man while we filled up our pieholes with crunchy cereal goodness. And you know what? That casual kitchen-free morning was worth being thankful for.

My thanks of the day finds a worthy character in the teaching assistant who went above and beyond today in helping my son through an incredibly difficult school day. After a bitter start to the morning courtesy of more bullying on the bus, she was able to reassure him enough to get him through the rest of the day without to much fear.

As for something about myself to be thankful for? For tonight, it is simply this. I'm thankful that no matter how tired I may have been after work, I was somehow able to tap into a second wind of sorts and hit up the playground for a wild rumpus with Mister Man!

...TTP-176 through 170 days to go...

2011-06-10T07:03:00.000-04:00

As is true, I should think, for most all of us who labor to blog, there are stretches of time where sitting down to the keyboard takes on a chore-like feel. As though someone else must be holding our feet to the flames...forcing us to update. For the most part, I write what I want...when I want...and how I want...sometimes quite literally as my wishlists! But then there are those times where life gets in the way...in ways good or bad or in-between...and the computer sits in the corner, ignored and dismissed. A sort of time-out. Whether it's that I've to many other things to attend to....or that at midnight Mister Man is still wide awake...or that I'm away from home...or that I simply have no desire to open up and share...I'm left with immense feelings of guilt when I finally come back. As though this blog has become an entity in need of care.

Of course, having challenged myself with TTP, I quite deserve to feel guilty when the closest I come to updating is writing down what I'm thankful for on the various scraps of papers you're sure to find hidden round the house, if ever you come to visit.

...a smattering of scrapped thanks...

~Thanks to Mister Man, I now have homemade bookmarks in every single book in the livingroom

~Thankfully, I remembered not only a blanket to sit on, but also my sunglasses, for soccer practice

~I'm grateful to the library for holding fun craft times for kids throughout the year

~Thanks to the social skills therapy group he's participate in for the past two year, Mister Man is growing a brand-new friendship

~How could I not be thankful for every single moment of the Teddy Bear Picnic Mister Man's 1st grade class hosted? So much fun!

~A day spent outside in this heat reminds me that I'm thankful for my olive complexion's resistance to sunburn!

~Thanks Thanks Thanks to Mister Man for making my birthday such a celebration!

~I'm ever so grateful for all the calls, message, emails, etc...heralding my birthday!

~Mister Man and I are equally thankful for Tante B., and for the effort she always goes to in helping our little family celebrate special days.

~Time and time again, I have to remind myself to be thankful for conflict, disappointment and all the other negatives that help to bring on growth and inner strength.

~A HUGE thank-you to Mister Man's teacher for sharing some amazing noteworthy news with me!

~I'm thanking myself...and that's totally normal! After all, the birthday shoes I bought myself are sparkly and fabulous...and definitely deserving of a thank-you note! :)

~I'm so thankful that this lovely warm (though sometimes hot as hades) weather allows for long walks to playgrounds...which means I'm likewise so thankful for cold water bottles as well!

~Gratitude is surely due, when years of hard work and hands-on effort finally begin to pay off.

...happy accidents...

2011-06-07T07:00:00.001-04:00

As you doubtless by now already know, I've been forcing myself into birthday mode for the last week or so. I'm really trying my hardest to get/be excited about it...as much for Mister Man's sake as admittedly for my own. One of my resolutions of the year was to be better to myself...and it's a work in progress. I'm my own worst critic of course, so I'm trying to keep the judgement in check. This whole birthday madness is just a part of my attempt to be excited about myself. I spend so much time and energy and focus on everything and everyone else...a habit I developed in a devaluing of self manner...and am only just now learning how to pull back a bit and hold onto some of the good things for myself instead of giving them all away.

With that said and done...I've been searching high and low for something to gift to myself. And honestly, I haven't had all that much luck. My Anthropologie wishlist was just one of many to be slashed to ribbons after a brick-and-mortar visit, and almost everything I thought I had my eye on has now been sent to the discard pile. After last week's failures (and major win in NY& Co), with Mister Man in tow (and his hands full of his own mini-wins) I made a quick decision to poke my less-than-petite nose into all the stores the mall had to offer. Read: the other 30 places that I usually ignore. What can I say, I'm a creature of habit...I tend to circle back to the same handful of places time and time again because I can usually count on them.

Let me tell you, there's a wealth of eye candy in all those other stores!

After window shopping and try-ons in ten or so shops, we strolled on into J.Crew with low expectations. Now mind you, I've plenty of friends who shop there pretty exclusively, and dress beautifully at that. But the last time I was in a store (probably 5 plus years ago) nothing even came close to fitting. The cut was, at that time, solely for those who have hips...which I don't. So while I would admire from afar, I never really bothered to venture back in. But this time, readers...oh, this time. The loveliest shade of purple called to me from one of the table displays, and I couldn't resist. Into the fitting room we strode with purple shorts in hand. And returned, more than once...to try them on again and again and again. Finally, I knuckled down and said yes to them...

And while I was at...yes to these as well...

...because guess what...they fit! They fit beautifully, marvelously, wonderfully well! At some point in time, unbeknownst to me, J.Crew revamped and started cutting to fit my shape! Awesome!

So out of the ashes of previously dependable wishlists, I accidentally stumbled upon a new place to scour the clearance racks! Now if only they'd lower their price point...drastically! :)

I also debated getting these:

Little fishies! But, I couldn't figure out if the colour worked on my skin tone or not. Now it appears they are no longer available online, though I'm sure they'll still be in stock in-store.

So, a little early birthday shopping out of the way...

a new place to peruse from time to time...

that's a win for me! :)

...narrowing the escape...

2011-06-07T05:58:00.001-04:00

With but a day to go before my birthday (woot!), I'm relishing in the little whirlwind of activity that's kicked up the past few days. I always say...and believe...that I'm at my very best when I'm busiest. As though having my attention divided between several things forces me to focus in better than I otherwise would. Give me a wide expanse of time with little to do and I fail...but shower me with responsibilities and tasks and I'll rise to the occasion. (See, that's why Mister Man's autism is great!)

My excitement over being one of the lucky receivers of Anthro's birthday discount is still going strong! I posted here a few days ago with some of the items from my Anthropologie wishlist (which I must admit is miles longer irl!) that I was particularly eyeing up. On Sunday I was finally able to go to the Short Hills location and spend some time daydreaming in-store. Mister Man accompanied me of course, and was more than happy to stare at all the pretty things...though I'm fairly certain he heard "Look with your eyes, not your hands" more times in those few hours than he usually hears in a year! We poked into every nook and cranny the store had to offer and by the time I finally made it into the fitting room, one of the salesgirls had already made three trips in for me with armloads full of 'maybes'.

Now comes the less than impressive part. I'm sad to say this trip was a pretty big fail for me. I'm not sure what's going on with Anthropologie's in and out of house brands this spring, but the sizes are all over the place, the fit is off in wild ways and a lot of the garments didn't live up to the shiny happy online versions at all. :( Boo hiss! Of my entire wishlist (about 50 items spread out over 3 online lists) I only found 2 items that I still loved after trying them on.

These Gerbera Shorts are absolutely darling in person. They're a lovely saturated hue, and the fit was perfect! I'm definitely considering them for sale time. (Honestly, I love them but can't justify the full price for a pair of shorts!)

Once I had these on, I did not want to take them off. Now I realize denim bermudas with a lobster embroidered on the thigh may not be everyones cup of tea, but they have Leanna written all over them! I harbor a deep-seated and not at all secretive love of lobster...

Last year I didn't even put up a moment's resistance to the Salty Seas Dress...

Somewhere (feel free to look) on this blog is a picture of the lobster earrings I bought "down the shore" last summer...

There's a lobster motif apron hanging in my kitchen...

And a little add water and grow lobster toy chilling on top of the stovetop...

So clearly, these shorts were meant to find a happy home in my wardrobe!

I wasn't able to find the Superfluous Bellows Hoodie, She Sells Tank or the Ikinimba Dress, so for now they're still wishlisted. But that evening almost everything else was discarded from my wishlists. Time to cross my fingers and hope that this disappointing in-store trip means that better things are on the way.

Just a note: that gorgeous looking Butterfly Net Dress? Hot mess! Major disaster. It managed to make beanpole me look like a pear shaped sausage. And it didn't even look all that great on the hanger. Good luck, Anthro, in finding the one person the dress might fit.

...friday night hook-up...

2011-06-03T20:52:00.001-04:00

I'm trying out a new feature here (and yes, it will probably be sporadic at best!) as we head into the weekend. Called, for now, the Friday Night Hook-Up, I'll be directing your attention away (gasp!) from my own little cafe in blogland and pointing you towards some other read-worthy links. Of course I'm well aware that doing so may just set you off on a course where you realize this blog of mine is pure drivel compared the riches of reading material elsewhere. Guess I'll just have hope you stick around anyway! :)

Consider for your entertainment, interest, education or amazement...

...Links Leanna Loves...

~ Without a doubt Sal, of "Already Pretty" has got inspiration to spare and her post on Self-Respect and Dressing with Care is just the beginning. Do check her out, if you aren't already a loyal reader. Read her words and slowly...gradually...relearn how to love yourself

~ Hoping to add some artistic flair to your life this weekend? Be sure to check out latest giveaway hosted by my lovely friend Liesl at Fabulous Fashions 4 Sensible Style, and cross your fingers! While there be sure to check out past posts on how to look Hollywood chic and still have money leftover for dinner!

~ If my single-mami shenanigans are what keep you coming back to "Confessions of the Caffeinated", then head on over to Parenting Magazine's site for Christine Coppa's single mom blog and be sure to check out this post. So much of what she wrote here resonated with me.

~ And finally, in keeping with my theory that treating myself in small ways is not frivolous, but downright necessary (I firmly believe that you always need to have something to look forward to, so you know why you are working so hard!), I fully support Chiara and her newfound desire to surround herself with a few small luxuries after an inspirational visit with a friend.

~<~~@ Happy reading to all, and to all a good night @~~>~

...a bounty of beautiful wishes...

2011-06-03T12:57:00.000-04:00

As promised, I'm sharing some of my Anthropologie wishlist with you. I'm so excited, readers, to have received one of their lovely birthday discount cards...and I'm torn between the can't wait to use it eagerness and save it in case something better comes along logic. Such a lovely conflict to find myself in though! :)

I'm hoping to take some time this weekend and head over to see some of these in-person and of course, try them on. Hopefully that will aid in the decision making process and not add to the list of things I have to decide from!

For now, here's what has caught my eye:

Butterfly Net Dress, currently full price at $158

I'm thrilled that, while strapless, this dress comes with optional straps...an absolute must for me. But, the reviews are all over the place on this one...from perfect and bold, to dull and ill-fitting.

She Sells Tank, $78

My longstanding love-affair with the blue-and-white combo finds a happy home in this perfect summer top. Isn't it darling? I wonder if it would pair well with last summer's Cloudfish Skirt which I bought on clearance? Once again, reviews are questionable. There's a good chance this one's made for the well-endowed, which I am certainly not.

Gerbera Shorts $78

I can't help but love these darling shorts...the colour, the eyelet, the apparent slim cut! Hopefully they are not overly bright in person.

In the Square Shorts, $88

Indeed, another pair of shorts. I'm concerned that reviewers find the material thin and flimsy, but I can't help admiring the pattern and colors.

Superfluous Bellows Hoodie, $68

I've definitely got a little crush on this piece. It brings to mind my former ballet days. The question is really whether or not I can wear the colour.

Lobster Roll Shorts, $98

These are definitely calling out to me...as is the lobster feast they bring to mind! My all-time favourite food! Sadly, they're priced just as high as the real deal. Maybe I'll catch them on sale?!?

Ikinimba Dress, $138

Gorgeous vibrant fabric...but I'm not so sure about the tie back.

So there you have it...a few things that have caught my eye. Sadly, most of the dresses I had my heart set on went to sale far to soon and are now sold out. Perhaps my good luck will hold though and I'll find my size waiting for me on the sale rack!

So, who wants to weigh in?
Any reviews you have to offer of some of the pieces I picked?
Love them? Hate them?
Feel completely ambivalent? :)
Or maybe you've seen something else that I missed.

...perfect postage...

2011-06-03T11:12:00.001-04:00

TGIF readers! I'm loving that the holiday weekend made this a short week for us! All the better to get on to enjoying weekend time once again!

Now if you've read a single post here in the past few days you're sure to be well aware that my birthday is approaching...and that I'm trying to be excited about if for a change! Practice becomes habit, or so they say, so I'm practicing at getting into the birthday spirit.

And it appears the universe is on board with my plan!

I get the mail round about the same time I get Mister Man off the school bus every day. And by the time we've trudged back up the drive I've usually got it sorted out amongst our four hands. Catalogues in one, bills in another, letters in a third and flyers in a fourth. Easy does it. So, in my sorting process recently, in with the bills went a little white envelope from my favourite daydream store...Anthropologie. And there it remained until later in the evening, after homework and boardgames and bookreading, when I finally remembered to actually deal with the mail.

Little did I know what wonders awaited me...for good things do indeed come in small packages!

I simply had to rescue this fallen rosebud. I'm not sure what broke it off it's homebush (whether squirrel or high wind or other misfortune) but I'm more than happy to enjoy it's final days.

The always just-the-right-amount of care and details, as only Anthro can do!
How darling is that little star button?
And the constellation of course?

Now THAT is guaranteed to bring on the birthday spirit!

Oh readers, I literally jumped for joy...and let out a sigh.

What a surprise...what an absolutely lovely surprise.

Now mind you, I have heard tell of these revered Anthropologie birthday discounts for years. But little did I think I'd ever be on the receiving end of one. As far as I knew/know...they only go out to a select few each month. (Perhaps that has changed this year?) No matter, I will continue to believe in the select few...and delight in the fact that this time round I am one of them!

This little white card in it's twilight envelope now sits on my dresser, promising of beauty to come.

Like any good Anthropologie dreamer, I've a wishlist a mile long of all the gorgeous apparel one can imagine...patiently waiting for sale time. I'm ever so eager to take some time this weekend and go peruse all my online choices in person...rack up a fitting-room's worth of try-ons and narrow down my list of options. Of course, as the discount applies to the whole of June, I'm sorely afraid that I'll end up making my purchase and using it, only to discover something even better pops up later in the new arrivals. What's a birthday girl to do?

For just now, I'm reveling in the moment and delighting in the very idea of my *super surprise mail.

I'll doubtless get round to posting up my wishlist later today...and I'm hoping that you can help me narrow it down...or if need be suggest your own ideas for what would be the perfect birthday gift!

...TTP-177 days to go...

2011-06-03T05:00:00.003-04:00

From June 2nd

Preface: Now generally I'm not the sort to get excited about my own birthday. Mister Man's? Oh yes, absolutely...I'm all in...over-the-top...party hat square atop my head...grand ideas swirling in my brain... full on party mode. What can I say...I love celebrating my son! But as for my own birthday? That usually passes by with an alarming lack of pomp and circumstance...sometimes at my own request, often at the forgetfulness of others. You see the problem is, in my life large and small, I am the planner. I take charge of these sorts of things...these events...for everyone else and handle all the organization and decoration, etc... So without a spare clone Me hanging about the place, however is anyone going to know when-where-what to do to celebrate my day in style?!?

This year I'm making an effort to get into the anticipatory birthday mode. Mister Man is always watching, after all...so I'm doing my best to show excitement as the day quickly approaches.

With 7 days to go...here's 7 things I'm thankful for today:

~the next set of revisions to the moving list

~the most beautiful mild day in which outdoor activity was not only a must, but an absolute pleasure

~good advice from an unexpected source (a new motivational quote to repeat to myself)

~the loveliest message from an absolutely lovely friend, with such an exciting invitation

~an end, after today's appointment, to terrifying dental visits for Mister Man...the next one is just routine check-up and cleaning...whew!

~an evening just cool enough to sit outside under the stars without being bothered by bugs

~super surprise mail *

* a future post is in the works about this...hopefully to appear today! Though to be on the safe side, I'll make no promises!

...TTP-178 days to go...

2011-06-03T05:00:00.002-04:00

From June 1st

At long last, June has arrived! I for one, am thrilled to the gills...and not without reason. My birthday just so happens to come early on in June which is cause enough for celebration I should think. But if that alone doesn't warrant my glee, then toss in the fact that come the end of June school lets out for summer holiday and I retain exclusive rights to Fun with Mister Man!

With a mere 8 days until my birthday, it's only reasonable to begin celebrating early with an 8-count TTP list, right? So without further ado, here's what I'm thankful for today:

8) a.m. photo session with Mister Man before school...he's got quite the photographer's eye, this one!

7) items on the homework page for today, all correctly done and put away. No early wakeup tomorrow to complete leftover homework!

6) dollars and change for the second awesome top from NY&Co's BOGO sale this evening

5) penpal letters read and responded to. The perfect sort of friendship for an autistic child with sensory/social issues.

4) early birthday cards arrived in the mail today!

3) board games before bedtime...and he even let me win one!

2) curled up fists beside a drowsy head, as Mister Man sleeps soundly in bed.

1) bowl of Ciao Bella Blackberry Cabernet sorbet while I finish my latest book.

...TTP-179 days to go...

2011-06-03T05:00:00.001-04:00

From May 31st

A Tuesday with the feel of a Monday today, as the long weekend ended all to abruptly for my taste. Mister Man, though eager to learn something new, showed alarming signs of don't-wanna-go-to-school-itis this morning...the diagnosis a fairly simple combination of 'the magically spot-changing ache', 'the pitiful eyes and whimpery lip' and 'the downright oppressive snuggle'. Thankfully we got all that sorted out rather quickly with the promise of Popsicle making for anyone who actually went to school.

Thanks to Mister Man's Omi, his daily wish for playground fun and games came true today. You'd best believe I had no intention of heading back outside after all the grueling walking to and from work today in this heat. Thanks much, but no...I'll just sit here on the sofa in the a.c. with my feet up and a book at hand, while you two run off into the sun. Don't fly to close Mister Man, you might get burned! :)

I'm still so thankful that I bought all those fruits and veggies over the weekend at the farmers' market. Intense heat and humidity makes eating an absolute chore for me, so I crave crisp-cool-light nibblings such as fresh fruit and raw, or steamed-then-cooled veggies. What can I say, it's the season of salad!

...queen for a day...

2011-06-02T20:06:00.000-04:00

...swathes of the most delicate white glimmer,

where sunlight has left behind golden reminders of glory,

that even the queens of ancient lore dream of...

Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent

...black and white and chic all over...

2011-06-02T19:48:00.000-04:00

...graphic details reigned in by a ladylike silhouette...

Available on pre-order at Nordies

...postscript...

2011-06-02T12:40:00.000-04:00

Forgive me readers, I was so excited to share that Look for Less with you that I completely forgot to share that NY&Co also offers a maxi-dress with the same styling as the top. Called the Goddess Dress, it comes in a muted burgundy and a dark grey. The XS fit me perfectly and was just long enough IMO, so long as I stay in flats. For reference I'm 5'8" and slim.

By way of a review, the top is snug and yes, a bit low...creating cleavage for those of us who are on the slim side. The skirt is a happy medium between straight and flowy, not to full but definitely has a nice drape. In the store it seemed that the dresses were not on sale, but now that I look online the BOGO 75% off seems to apply to them also. At $49.95 before sale, I might just reconsider both at the BOGO price of about $63.